Opinion: Trump pitted disaster victims against each other. His rally crowd applauded.
By Greg Sargent Greg Sargent Opinion writer covering national politics Email Bio Follow Opinion writer May 9 at 10:34 AM At a rally in the Florida panhandle on Wednesday night, President Trump fed the crowd lies and deceptions about disaster aid to Puerto Rico, in an effort to pit victims of different regional natural disasters against one another.
This whole episode is an object lesson in how the entire political system — Republicans included — is obliged to accommodate Trump’s lies, kind of like a snake digesting a large animal whole, once he has settled on a falsehood that cannot be dislodged. “We gave to Puerto Rico $91 billion,” Trump shouted. Then Trump continued: “What the Democrats want to do, they want to give more and more.” Then Trump told the crowd: “But you’re getting your money, one way or the other. And we’re not gonna let anybody hold it up.”
But this fundamentally misstates the true nature of the situation. Right now, negotiations over a $17 billion disaster aid bill are snagged. But the argument is not over how much will go to places like Florida and the Midwest. Everyone agrees on that. Indeed, this is creating a disagreement between Trump and Republicans. Democrats want $600 million in food stamp assistance to Puerto Rico, and additional funding on top of that for things such as rebuilding and making drinking water safe, according to a summary of the Democratic bill that the House will vote on this week.
Pence reiterated Trump’s views on Puerto Rico, displaying a graph aimed at bolstering Trump’s claims that Puerto Rico has already been given $91 billion, much more than many states have received for their own hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Donald Trump slams Puerto Rico as Congress considers disaster aid billThe dispute between Trump and Democrats over Puerto Rico has held up a disaster aid bill, but pressure is building on the president to strike a deal.
Read more »
AP FACT CHECK: Trump brings Puerto Rico fiction to FloridaWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump brought his enduring fiction about hurricane aid for Puerto Rico to a rally crowd in Florida on Wednesday.
Read more »
Opinion | Trump is already set to use the government to destroy the Democratic nomineeWe've never seen the likes of what is to come. Justice Department investigations are just the beginning.
Read more »
Opinion | As Democrats prep for another health-care election, Trump gives them a big assistOpinion: As Democrats prep for another health-care election, Trump gives them a big assist
Read more »
Opinion | In Barr, Trump has found someone who licks his boots out of principleOpinion: In Barr, Trump has finally found a man of integrity to bless his corruption
Read more »
Venezuelans deserve to know just how far Donald Trump will go to help them | OpinionWill we stand by, as we did in Hungary, or intervene if forces loyal to Maduro begin arresting and executing people en masse?
Read more »
Opinion | Why don’t Americans want to impeach Trump?Opinion: Why don’t Americans want to impeach Trump?
Read more »
Analysis | Trump echoes Putin on Venezuela — and contradicts his own secretary of stateTrump said Russia wasn't looking to get involved in Venezuela. His own secretary of state said Thursday that Russia had 'invaded' it.
Read more »
Opinion | How House Democrats' investigations of Trump put Americans at riskTheir obsession with going after the president means he is distracted from serious threats like North Korea and China.
Read more »